Shoe-lace fastener



m MN E .ST S A HP 0 Jw .A EL -w MH S a d o M 0 Patented Jan. 5 1897.

INVENTOI? ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

MARY ELLA JOHNSON, O'F GREENIVIOI'I, NEIV YORK.

SHOE-LACE FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 574,484, dated January 5, 1897.

Application filed May 25, 1896. Serial No. 592,992. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY ELLA JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greenwich, county of WVashington, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompa nying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in shoe-lace fasteners, the object of the invention being to provide an article of this character which is adaptable for attachment to the bow of a shoe-lace when the same is tied to prevent the accidental untying of the lace.

The device isinexpensive, simple in construction, anddurable.

The invention will be hereinafter fully de- I scribed, and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a shoe having my improved device attached to the lace thereof, and Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the device itself shown on an enlarged scale.

In the practice of my invention I provide a metallic box A, which said box is provided with upwardly-extended end walls a and at. These said walls are formed integrally with a flat base a and the structure is preferably composed of non-resilient metal. Projecting from the surface of the front wall a is a lug a adapted for locking the device, as will be hereinafter described.

Hinged to the rear wall a is a plate B,

which is composed of resilient sheet metal. This said plate is provided with forwardlyextended side tongues b and an end wall b, said end wall having a recess 12 therein for engagement with the lug a of the box A.

The outer edges of the tongues b are turned up to form beads b adapted for engagement with the ends of a shoe-lace, whereby said lace will not be cut or injured, and the wall I) of the said plate Bis provided with an out- .wardly-tu1'ned projection 6 which acts as a handle in operating the device.

In attaching the device to a shoe the box or plate A may be passed under the ends-of the shoe-lace C before said lace is tied, and after it is tied the lid or plate B will be clamped down upon the bow thus formed, the ends 0 and loops 0' thereof being tightly clamped against the side edges of the plate A and the wall I) of the said lid being in tight engagement with the wall a of the plate A, whereby the bow cannot accidentally become untied. When it is desired to release the same, it is only necessary to force the spring-wall l) outwardly until its socket b is released from the lug a If it is desired to attach the device to the shoe-lace after the same has been tied, it will be simply necessary to collect all of the ends and loops of the bow together and extend them to one side and lay them over the upper surface of the plate A, whereby when the lid B is clamped down into engagement with the plate A all of the said ends of the lace will be clamped tightly against the plate A.

j I do not confine myself to the specific details of mechanical structure as herein described above, as it is obvious that under the scope of my invention I am entitled to slight variations of detail.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A shoe-lace fastener comprising a nonresilient lower plate and a resilient upper plate having tongues formed integrally therewith adapted for engaging the sides of the said lower plate, and means for fastening the two plates together and locking them to each other, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a shoe-lace fastener, the combination of a lower plate of non-resilient metal having rear and front walls extended at right angles respectively from its front and rear edges, and an upper plate of resilient metal which has tongues projected from its two side edges and a wall projected from its outer edge, said plate being hinged to the rear wall of the said lower plate, and a locking device for maintaining the two parts in engagement with each other, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 22d day of May,

MARY ELLA JOHNSON. Witnesses:

M. MoGLEAN, B. M. OAKEs. 

